AS reported earlier in the week, the town of Exmouth in WA’s north west cape was running hot during the 2014 Gamex Comp, with some mind-blowing billfish action on offer for competing boats.
During the six day competition there were 1619 billfish raised, 1133 hooked with 601 tagged and released. The billfish were predominantly smaller black marlin, but there were also a few blue and striped marlin tagged, along with a handful of sails. For the 63 competing boats and 240 anglers, there were a lot of smiling faces at the conclusion of the competition, and I dare say the contingent will be even stronger in 2015 given this year’s success.
The competition is split into two categories – billfish and line class. Although the billfish is the more coveted division, there were plenty of anglers focusing on the line class division, making this category hotly contested as well. See below for the official results for Gamex 2014.
Champion junior angler Will Roche. Image – Bernie Kaaks
Angler results
Champion junior -Will Roche 2855 points
Champion female – Jo Decker 3900 points
Champion male – Rob Mitchell 6450 points
Champion tag and release billfish junior – Hayden Michaels – 4700 points
Champion tag and release billfish adult – Michael Callan 10000 points.
James Roscic (heaviest gamefish) & Nicky Sutton (sponsor). Image – Bernie Kaaks
Team results
Champion boat tag and release shark – Mystic Knot 3100 points
Champion boat (HPS) tag and release billfish boat 7m and under – Sea Eagle, 19 tags 9300 points
Champion boat (HPS) tag and release billfish boat over 7 m – X T Sea with 30 tags 11600 points
Champion boat (HPS) tag and release sailfish – Y Stress with 5 tags 2000 points
Champion boat (HPS) tag and release marlin – Mahi Mahi III with 26 tags 11300 points
Champion boat overall – Wet Dreams 7066.67
George King memorial trophy – Skipper Bernie Vale total billfish tags 29
Steve Pitman memorial trophy – Rob Mitchell 11 line classes and 9 species
Category highest point scoring fish by line class
1kg – Andy Sutton 5.9kg queenfish
2kg – Jason Hornhardt 11.8kg narrow bar mackerel
3kg – Jason Hornhardt 22.3kg narrow bar mackerel
4kg – Connie Taylor 10.5kg narrow bar mackerel
6kg – Will Roche 9.6kg narrow bar mackerel
8kg – Rob Mitchell 9.6kg wahoo
10kg – Phil Volicvi 12.9kg wahoo
Heaviest billfish on 1-15kg line class – Callum Offler 59.6kg marlin (Lenna)
Heaviest billfish on 24-60kg – James Roscic 312.1kg marlin (Reel Teaser)
The crew of Champion Boat (marlin tag & release) Mahi Mahi III. Image Bernie Kaaks
The Exmouth Game Fishing Club clubhouse. Image – Bernie Kaaks